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New sponsors keep Lands End Hill Climb on track

The field for this year’s Lands End Hill Climb will have fewer drivers, because of the poor economy. There are only 25 drivers preregistered for this weekend’s race. Drivers can still register up until Saturday morning, when racing begins at 8 a.m.

By {screen_name}
Thursday, August 4, 2011

For a while, it looked as if the annual Lands End Hill Climb race wasn’t going to take place this year.

Thanks to some recent sponsors, it’s back on schedule.

The race up Lands End Road begins at 8 a.m. Saturday on Grand Mesa and continues through the day. The finals are scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday.

The economy has hit the sport hard the past two years.

“We’re having budgeting issues,” Colorado Hill Climb Association President Rod Moberly said. “Racing is the first to go out and the last thing taken off the shelf.

“We’ve been light on entries all year. It’s tough to forecast a budget. If you don’t have confidence to put on a marketable show, it’s difficult to develop community partners.”

Part of the problem is the fee the association has to pay the U.S. Forest Service for use of the road. That comes from driver’s entry fees.

Entries have increased from $175 to $375 per driver.

“We could go back to the normal entry fees if we had 60 to 70 entries like we’ve had before,” Moberly said.